Where’s the Concern? Week Fifteen

Each week, Great Lakes Echo features a photo story about a different Area of Concern designated by the U.S. or Canadian governments in the Great Lakes basin. Guess where the area is located, based on the description of the site.

This week’s expert is Ashley Snyder, remedial action plan coordinator for this site.

Summary of the area:

The river was listed as an AOC in 1986 because of severe industrial and municipal pollution.

This diverse area provides habitat for many endangered plant and animal species.

The sediments in the area are heavily contaminated by PAHs, heavy metals and PCBs.

The pollution has caused degradation of fish and wildlife populations, habitat loss and human drinking water and fish consumption restrictions.

Commentary

Supporters call the National Park Service's plan to restock wolves on Isle Royale a “genetic rescue,” but skeptics say nature should be allowed to take its course. Authors Mark Neuzil and Eric Freedman think this is unlikely to happen because wolves have friends in high places in the scientific establishment and the federal government.